The present invention is directed to transparencies, and more specifically, to low haze light fast ink jet transparencies. In embodiments of the present invention, the transparencies are comprised of a supporting substrate and thereover two coatings, a first acrylic latex coating and a second nonionic cellulose ink receiving layer, and preferably wherein two coatings are present on each surface of the supporting substrate. With the transparencies of the present invention, there are enabled a number of advantages, including the important advantage of low haze, that is, for example, wherein the transparencies permit 95 percent of the light to be transmitted therethrough in embodiments, and which transparencies possess excellent lightfastness characteristics. The transparencies of the present invention can be selected for ink jet methods and apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,570 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,407, the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference, disclose a transparency which comprises a hydrophilic coating and a plasticizer, which plasticizer can, for example, be from the group consisting of phosphates, substituted phthalic anhydrides, glycerols, glycols, substituted glycerols, pyrrolidinones, alkylene carbonates, sulfolanes, and stearic acid derivatives.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,749 discloses erasable coatings for xerography paper which comprise a pigment, such as calcium carbonate, in a binder such as an aqueous emulsion of an acrylic polymer. The erasability of the coating is improved by replacing at least 15 weight percent of the binder with a polyalkane or polyalkene wax, such as an aqueous emulsion of a polyolefin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,847 discloses a transparency for the formation of an adherent electrostatic image thereon which includes a polyester resin film sheet having an image-receiving coating of nitrocellulose, a plasticizer, a particulate material, and preferably an antistatic agent. The coating is applied to the film sheet from a solvent mixture of an aliphatic ester or an aliphatic ketone, and an aliphatic alcohol.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,337 discloses a sheet material having a transparent backing coated with a layer containing a polymeric binder and particles of solid material which is insoluble in the binder. The refractive index of the solid material varies, for example, from that of the binder by at most .+-.0.6. The surface of the layer is ink receptive and, by printing on that surface, a transparency is obtained.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,225 discloses a transparency suitable for electrographic and xerographic imaging which comprises a polymeric substrate with a toner receptive coating on one surface thereof comprising blends selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) and carboxymethyl cellulose; poly(ethylene oxide), carboxymethyl cellulose, and hydroxypropyl cellulose; poly(ethylene oxide) and vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer; poly(chloroprene) and poly(alpha-methylstyrene); poly(caprolactone) and poly(alpha-methylstyrene); poly(vinyl isobutyl ether) and poly(alpha-methylstyrene); poly(caprolactone) and poly(p-isopropyl alpha-methylstyrene); blends of poly(1,4-butylene adipate) and poly(alpha-methylstyrene); chlorinated poly(propylene) and poly(alpha-methylstyrene); chlorinated poly(ethylene) and poly(alpha-methylstyrene); and chlorinated rubber and poly(alpha-methylstyrene).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,697 discloses a transparent substrate material for receiving or containing an image which comprises a supporting substrate base, an antistatic polymer layer coated on one or both sides of the substrate and comprising hydrophilic cellulosic components, and a toner receiving polymer layer contained on one or both sides of the antistatic layer, which polymer comprises hydrophobic cellulose ethers, hydrophobic cellulose esters, or mixtures thereof, and wherein the toner receiving layer contains adhesive components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,205, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a transparent substrate material for receiving or containing an image comprising a supporting substrate, an ink toner receiving coating composition on both sides of the substrate and comprising an adhesive layer and an antistatic layer contained on two surfaces of the adhesive layer, which antistatic layer comprises mixtures or complexes of metal halides or urea compounds, both with polymers containing oxyalkylene segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,008, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a substrate; a first coating in contact with the substrate which comprises a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of hexamethoxymethyl melamine, methylated melamine-formaldehyde, methylated urea-formaldehyde, cationic urea-formaldehyde, cationic polyamine-epichlorohydrin, glyoxal-urea resin, poly(aziridine), poly(acrylamide), poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide), acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer, poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid), poly(N,N-dimethyl-3,5-dimethylene piperidinium chloride), poly(methyleneguanidine) hydrochloride, poly(ethylene imine) poly(ethylene imine) epichiorohydrin, poly(ethylene imine) ethoxylated, glutaraldehyde, and mixtures thereof; a catalyst; and a polymeric material capable of being crosslinked by the crosslinking agent and selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides having at least one hydroxy group, polysaccharides having at least one carboxy group, polysaccharides having at least one sulfate group, polysaccharides having at least one amine or amino group, polysaccharide gums, poly(alkylene oxides), vinyl polymers, and mixtures thereof; and a second coating in contact with the first coating which comprises a binder and a material selected from the group consisting of fatty imidazolines, ethosulfate quaternary compounds, dialkyl dimethyl methosulfate quaternary compounds, alkoxylated di-fatty quaternary compounds, amine oxides, amine ethoxylates, imidazoline quaternary compounds, alkyl benzyl dimethyl quaternary compounds, poly(epiamines), and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,714, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a base sheet, an antistatic layer coated on at least one surface of the base sheet comprising a mixture of a first component selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic polysaccharides and a second component selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl amines), poly(vinyl phosphates), poly(vinyl alcohols), poly(vinyl alcohol)-ethoxylated, poly(ethylene imine)-ethoxylated, poly(ethylene oxides), poly(n-vinyl acetamide-vinyl sulfonate salts), melamine-formaldehyde resins, ureaformaldehyde resins, styrene-vinylpyrrolidone copolymers, and mixtures thereof, and at least one toner receiving layer coated on an antistatic layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride containing polymers, maleic ester containing polymers, and mixtures thereof.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 208,317, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a printing process which comprises (a) incorporating into an ink jet printing apparatus containing an aqueous ink a recording sheet which comprises (1) a substrate; (2) a first coating layer which comprises a binder and microspheres; (3) a second, ink-receiving coating layer situated so that the first coating layer is between the second, ink-receiving coating layer and the substrate, said second, ink-receiving layer comprising a hydrophilic binder and microspheres; (4) an optional antistatic agent; (5) an optional biocide; and (6) an optional filler; and (b) causing droplets of the ink to be ejected in an imagewise pattern onto a surface of the recording sheet containing microspheres, thereby generating images on the recording sheet. Also disclosed is a printing process which comprises (a) incorporating into an ink jet printing apparatus containing an aqueous ink a recording sheet which comprises (1) a substrate; (2) a first coating layer which comprises a binder and microspheres; (3) a second, ink-receiving coating layer situated so that the first coating layer is between the second, inkreceiving coating layer and the substrate, said second, ink-receiving layer comprising a hydrophilic binder and microspheres; (4) an optional antistatic agent; (5) an optional biocide; and (6) an optional filler; (b) causing droplets of the ink to be ejected in an imagewise pattern onto a surface of the recording sheet containing microspheres, thereby generating images on the recording sheet; and (c) thereafter exposing the substrate to microwave radiation, thereby drying the recording liquid on the recording sheet.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 444,477, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a substrate and a material selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,277, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a paper substrate and a material selected from the group consisting of monomeric amino acids, monomeric hydroxy acids, monomeric polycarboxyl compounds, and mixtures thereof.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 196,607, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a substrate and a material selected from the group consisting of monomeric amine acid salts, monomeric quaternary choline halides, and mixtures thereof.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 196,676, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a substrate and an additive material selected from the group consisting of pyrrole compounds, pyrrolidine compounds, pyridine compounds, piperidine compounds, homopiperidine compounds, quinoline compounds, isoquinoline compounds, quinuclidine compounds, indole compounds, indazole compounds, and mixtures thereof.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 196,933, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a substrate and a material selected from the group consisting of purine compounds, pyrimidine compounds, benzimidazole compounds, imidazolidine compounds, urazole compounds, pyrazole compounds, triazole compounds, benzotriazole compounds, tetrazole compounds, pyrazine compounds, and mixtures thereof. Also disclosed is a recording sheet which consists essentially of a substrate, at least one material selected from the group consisting of purine compounds, pyrimidine compounds, benzimidazole compounds, imidazolidine compounds, urazole compounds, pyrazole compounds, triazole compounds, benzotriazole compounds, tetrazole compounds, pyrazine compounds, and mixtures thereof, an optional binder, an optional antistatic agent, an optional biocide, and an optional filler.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 196,605, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a substrate, an image receiving coating, and a biocide.
The disclosures of each of the patents and applications recited herein are totally incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
While the above transparencies are suitable for their intended purposes, a need remains for improved transparencies particularly suitable for use in ink jet and electrophotographic applications. In addition, a need remains for transparencies with excellent low haze characteristics, such as haze between from about 1 to about 10 and preferably between 1 to 4, and excellent lightfastness in the range of from about 70 to about 95 percent, a feature not easily obtained considering that the total thickness of the two layered coatings can range from 2 to 50 microns and average about 25 microns. There is also a need for improved ink jet transparencies, and a need for transparencies wherein colors can be satisfactorily projected. A need also remains for transparencies which are particularly suitable for use in printing processes wherein the recorded transparencies are imaged with liquid inks and dried by exposure to microwave radiation. Further, there is a need for transparencies coated with a discontinuous, porous film. There is also a need for transparencies which, subsequent to being imaged with an aqueous ink, exhibit reduced curling. These and other needs are achievable with the transparencies of the present invention in embodiments thereof.